From Wacky to Wonderful, These 7 Hot Chocolates Are Famous for a Reason

Some people look forward to seasonal activities, like going to the beach in August or ice skating in December, but I prefer to orient my year around treats. Summer means ice cream, fall equals apple cider doughnuts, and winter signifies that it’s an acceptable time for me to consume enormous amounts of hot chocolate as often as I see fit.

I’m not alone in my love for hot chocolate, and in recent years I've seen quite a few content creators document their hunt for the best version of this sweet, rich drink. From recipes for upping your hot chocolate game at home to destination-worthy restaurants that are innovating on the classic beverage, the internet has expanded the world of hot chocolates beyond what even I could imagine.

Not every Instagram-famous hot chocolate is meant for every person — we all have different tastes — and some of the most popular cocoas on social media might not sound good to you. But what’s weird to one person is often delicious to another, and no matter which hot chocolate you find most appetizing, if you consider yourself a true fan of the beverage then all of these viral sensations should be on your radar.

Dark Sugars (London, United Kingdom)

A shower of long chocolate shavings on top is what sets these hot cocoas apart, and also makes them the perfect visual fodder for any social media content. Cups of hot chocolate are finished with a nest of three different types of shaved chocolate — white, milk, and dark — which you can stir into the piping hot liquid until they melt. The menu at Dark Sugars includes a variety of hot chocolate flavors, ranging from chile to hazelnut praline, in case you want something different from the original. But don’t worry, you can get fresh chocolate shavings on top of every option.

Glace (New York, New York)

The hot chocolate from Glace is a cup of rich cocoa surrounded by a ring of freshly-torched marshmallow on the rim, lives up to the hype. It’s a high-quality hot chocolate made with semi-sweet 56% dark chocolate, so it’s not overly saccharine, but the marshmallow rim is really what makes it shine. Toasted to order, the homemade confection is a fluffy ode to what a great marshmallow can really be (spoiler alert: it’s way better than the bags you buy at the grocery store). Glace is constantly creating new renditions of its hot chocolate, with seasonal toppings and flavors like Holiday Peppermint or Passionfruit Cheesecake S’mores, so you can try something new each time you visit — and trust me, you'll want to return.

Hot Chocolate Bombs

Hot chocolate bombs — or balls — have resurfaced on TikTok and Instagram during the holiday season for the past few years in a row. These spheres of hardened chocolate are filled with hot cocoa mix (and often marshmallows), so you can simply add the bomb to hot milk, then stir until everything is combined, and you have a decadent mug of excellent hot chocolate. Making hot chocolate bombs takes some skill — you’ll need to temper chocolate and cool it in a silicone mold — but there are quite a few tutorials online, and the result is an excellent holiday gift.

Les Deux Magots (Paris, France)

French hot chocolate was all over social media feeds in 2023, and when you see a spoon stirring the ultra-thick, rich beverage, it’s easy to understand why. Les Deux Magots' hot cocoa gets its signature thickness because it's made the European way: It's a decadent mixture of whole milk and melted chocolate — not cocoa powder. Some recipes might call for heavy cream, or for the richest versions a base of crème pâtissière, but the result is always a more viscous hot chocolate that tastes as luxurious as it looks. Paris has developed a vibrant culture surrounding chocolat chaud, and you can find it at many cafés. A few of the most renowned spots (where you might have to wait in line) include Les Deux Magots, Angelina, and Carette.

Italian Bear (London, United Kingdom)

Why only have a cupful of hot chocolate when you could also have a cup covered in it? This is the approach taken by Italian Bear, a chocolate-lovers paradise in London. The cacao-centric shop sells a “triple-chocolate” hot chocolate, which involves a cup filled with thick hot chocolate, and three different chocolate sauces — white, milk, and dark — poured over the edges of the cup too. You can have the same triple-chocolate treatment applied to a slice of chocolate cake, which sounds a lot less messy. Even though a cup completely covered — aside from the handle, which remains clean so you can grip it — in chocolate might sound gimmicky, social media users regularly praise this hot chocolate as being the best in London. One commenter summed up my own feelings exactly, saying “Anyone else majorly conflicted here?? On one hand, my anxiety levels are sky high seeing the chocolate on the outside of the cup and all over the cake... But on the other hand, it's literally the only thing I want to eat right now!!!”

Serendipity 3 (New York, New York)

This hot chocolate became famous before social media even existed, but you can still enjoy it in New York City today. If you’ve seen the 2001 movie Serendipity then you might recognize the large glass cups, filled with what looks like a chocolate milkshake mixture, that John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale sip from with straws while sitting across from each other. This now-iconic drink is the Frrrozen Hot Chocolate from Serendipity 3, a dessert shop and restaurant that opened its first location in NYC’s Upper East Side in 1954. Is it the best rendition of hot chocolate in the city? No, it's not. But it is a staple part of the dessert scene, and movie buffs will enjoy stopping in to see the whimsical decor at the original location.

Bone Broth Hot Chocolate

If the words “bone broth hot chocolate” sound to you like a borderline-satirical product of healthy-ish internet food culture, I’d be inclined to agree. And I’d also agree that it doesn’t exactly sound delicious at first. But when you think about this recent trend — which usually involves cocoa powder, chicken or beef bone both, a sweetener like maple syrup, and milk — more deeply, it does start to make sense. Both bone broth and hot chocolate are rich, warming drinks — and if you use a bone broth that’s low in sodium, and not infused with a lot of extra seasonings, then it might pair well with the bitter-sweet flavors of hot chocolate.

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